The King of Hyrule's Daughter
by Lord Augustus
Summary: The lost tale of the lady princess who lost her life protecting the Triforce of the Gods.
1. Of the Ancient Days

**The King of Hyrule's Daughter**

Transcribed from the _Book of the Seven Sages_

**-I -  
OF THE ANCIENT DAYS **

**It is said that in the ancient times when our land was young,** the sovereigns of the land of Hyrule kept control over the populace with the divine relic, the sacred Triforce of the Gods, the gift of the Great Goddesses to the people of the world which came to us from the sky, riding on an island of pure ivory and gold.

The glorious City of Hyrule was built by us, the Hylia, chosen of the Great Ones, around this island, which held the entrance to the Sacred Realm, resting place of this Golden Power.

Hirö, First Among His People and the First Great King of Hyrule, a man of great Power, Wisdom, and Courage, entered the other world. He traveled to the shining Temple of Light at the very center of the Realm, and took the sacred Triforce for himself(see _The Book of Identities_ for a complete list of the Kings and Emperors of Hyrule).

He wished for the spirits of the Goddesses to bless Hyrule and turn it into the perfect kingdom.

"From now on, this shall be Hyrule's providence," he proclaimed. "The sacred Triforce, given to us by the Goddesses, shall be the symbol of this realm forevermore!"

With its grace, he ruled over the land in a time of great peace and prosperity. There was no hunger, no greed, no want at all in the country, and everyone was well for many years to come. However freedom from death was not something the King had wished for, and after one hundred twenty five years on the Crystal Throne of Hyrule, he passed on the relic to his son, who wished for the same things his father had.

Disö, the Second King, upon his death at one-hundred five years reign, passed it on to his son, who continued to wish for peace.

Tarosö, The Third King of Hyrule, who fought a just war against aggressors from the North with it and returned stability to the country, passed the relic on to his son after reigning for ninety-nine years(see _Calatia: Land of Knights and Rogues_).

The Fourth King, Korosö, who was a kindly ruler and who always used the Triforce to further the advance of his people, passed the relic to his son after reigning for eighty seven years.

Pantö, the Fifth King of Hyrule ruled for eighty years, during which little of note occurred, and then passed on the Golden Power to his son, Hantö, who, as King used it to forge important alliances with other races.

After seventy-five years, the Sixth King passed the Triforce on to his daughter, Sitë, for Hantö had no sons. She became the First Ruling Queen, who is counted Seventh among the Great Kings, and it was Sitë who put down several heated border disputes with the people of Calatia, then afterward ruled in peace

Her son, Ontolö, took the throne after Queen Sitë abdicated in the sixty fourth year of her reign, and the Sacred Triforce was passed on to him.

After sixty years as sovereign of Hyrule in an age of unparalleled peace and prosperity, the Eighth King of Hyrule died, and the Triforce passed to his son, Nivolö, whom we shall speak of next.


	2. Of the Children of the King

**-II-  
OF THE CHILDREN OF THE KING**

Thus it was, in the fifteenth year of his reign, Nivolö, the Ninth Great King of all Hyrule, wished to take a wife. According to noble tradition, he was to pick a girl from the upper echelon of Hylian society.

The one he chose was named Rowena, the beautiful redheaded daughter of a wealthy baron. Among our people, Rowena is often called Most Radiant, for she was like the morning spring of our race, with skin the color of white ivory and hair the many hues of the red morning sun, and it is said that she was a manifestation of the Crimson Goddess, who is Din, and who is both beautiful and terrible(see _Lamentations: The Cry of the Ninth King / The Old Ones and Their Manifestations_).

The King began to court her, and though he was spurned more than one, Nivolö was persistent, and they fell deeply in love. A short month after meeting, they announced their intentions to marry.

Their wedding was the largest ever seen in Hyrule, with over twenty thousand in attendance at the ceremony, which was held in front of Hyrule Castle.

Several weeks later, the whole kingdom was later filled with joy at the announcement that the Queen was with child. Many months passed, and as the time of birth drew near, the doctors and midwives knew that something was amiss. Her Majesty had grown much too large to be carrying a single child. Lo and behold, fraternal twins were born to her when she finally did deliver!

"They are the joys of my heart, the sweet blessings of the Goddesses," Rowena was heard to have said. "I shall love them all the days of my life."

Unfortunately, the Queen would never be able to live up to that promise. She had poured all of her great essence into the creation of her progeny, and so she did die in the arms of her lead midwife after much struggle in the birthing of her mighty children. King Nivolö learned of his beloved wife's passing shortly afterward and was thrown into a terrible pit of loathing, and for many days he would see no one, not even his newborn children.

Grief swept over the kingdom in a few short days. Thousands of wailing mourners were present at her funeral, including Nivolö and the two newborn members of the Royal Family.

Their names had finally been decided on after much debate.

The little prince, who was the elder by a minute or so, was given the name Tarquin.

His sister, the tiny princess, was to be called Zelda.

In a world that knew only sadness, they were shining beacons of hope. Life had to go on without Rowena, no matter how difficult and trying it would be.

Life did go on, and the years began to tumble by. Nivolö grew older and wiser and gray of hair, while Tarquin and Zelda grew tall and healthy. The royal children were everything the people had hoped they would be. They were intelligent, resourceful, kind, levelheaded, wise, courageous, and powerful.

Prince Tarquin was almost the spitting image of father when he was a youth. The boy had the same light brown hair and the same bright blue eyes that Nivolö once did. He was the heir to the throne, the crown prince, and was tended to and pampered all the days of his life, for the day would come when he would be the Tenth King. Groomed from an early age to be a leader, he was boisterous and promised that he would one day be the greatest of all the Kings of Hyrule.

On the other hand, Princess Zelda was more akin to her mother; graceful, very pretty, and possessing a quiet wisdom. She had the same color eyes that her brother did, but her hair was a deep shade of red, much like Rowena, her mother. Zelda was the apple of her father's eye, and she confided all of her troubles in him, and vice-versa.

The bond between brother and sister was strong, so it is said, and they were rarely parted from one another, save when they took lessons in separate parts of the castle.

However, the happy times were to be replaced by times of woe as dark storm clouds of mysterious change began to appear on the horizon.

Fifteen times the new year had come and gone, and as the country prepared to celebrate thirty summers and winters of the King's sovereignty the chain of events that brought about the world we know today was set into motion.

Enoc, the prophet who had traveled the world preaching about hell fire and repentance of sins, visited Hyrule(see _Oracles: A History of Getting it Right_). The old King welcomed the oracle and listened intently to what he had to say.

"The time shall shortly come, the Golden Times will pass away, and a New Era is dawning! My King, seek the Wise Men and set them at their divine task!" said the great prophet.

And so it was that the King decreed that Enoc should find the Wise Ones. The prophet would do this with the help of Raru, the High Priest of the Goddesses. Five sages were then chosen from several of the races of Hyrule: Sheikah, Goron, Zora, Kokiri, and Gerudo alike(see _Sages: Now and Then_).

When they had been assembled, Enoc brought them to a spot one hundred paces from Hyrule Castle told them that the days of peace were numbered.

"This age is coming to an end," he said. "Turmoil and demise will overwhelm Hyrule. Your people will all change, change or die. The works you perform in your lives will serve as beacons of safety for future generations."

Great temples were to be built in preparation for the coming darkness.

The first had been built, and rebuilt, and fallen, and then rebuilt again from the beginning days of the Kingdom of Hyrule. It would be called again, the Temple of Time, and would be the gateway to the Sacred Realm of legend.

From Hyrule City, many masons were conscripted, and they set about building the temple, but seven months into construction, the first of the great catastrophes befell the land of Hyrule.

Nivolö, the master of his country for three decades, passed away one night in his sleep. His doctors examined him thoroughly, but could not determine the cause of death. Foul play was suspected, and the King's advisors and those who were around him last scrambled to clear their names. The nation was mortified that someone would kill their benevolent ruler, and that horror quickly turned to rage. Riots broke out in Hyrule City. People looted merchant's stores and started fires, trying desperately to act out the pain they felt at the loss of their great king.

Amidst all the chaos and the mourning for Nivolö, Prince Tarquin, at age fifteen, was proclaimed to be the next King of Hyrule.

He promised his subjects that his father's murderer would be found at any cost.


	3. Of the Breaking of the Relic

**-III-  
OF THE BREAKING OF THE RELIC**

One person stood out amongst the usual suspects, a man named Cyrus. He was one of the late king's most trusted advisors and an able politician, but he dabbled frequently in magic. Many had branded him a sorcerer and a traitor from the beginning, but Nivolö had chosen to trust him and had let him into his inner circle. It was said that Cyrus wanted to know more about the Triforce of the Gods.

Before Nivolö's death, he could be found late at night searching the castle's archives for whatever clues that could lead him to the sacred relic. However, no one could ever concretely prove that he was secretly conspiring against the King.

Cyrus went to the young prince and offered his services.

"You have a great burden on your shoulders, Highness. To find the one who took your father's life, you must seek the Golden Power," the shady advisor told his sovereign.

Tarquin's eyes seemed to blaze with new ideas and possibilities after he was told this, and his visage was said to have twisted then as much as his mind.

The sacred Triforce was an heirloom, a symbol of the Royal Family and his birthright. Once he found it, he would take it and use it to avenge his father's death.

As the masons went back to work on the Temple of Time, the Prince searched every hidden space in Hyrule Castle. With Cyrus's help, he found clue after clue after clue, but still the Triforce eluded him.

Three months passed by, and he was still no closer to finding it, during which the riots had calmed and much of life had returned to normal in the kingdom at large.

However, by this point, Tarquin had grown sour and frustrated, and became quick to anger. The ill advice and will of Cyrus had seeped into the young Prince's mind. He believed he needed the power of the Triforce, but was foiled at every turn, until the day he found a small, golden key hidden in one of his late father's many opulent wooden bureaus. This obscure little object opened the door to the highest room in the castle. Tarquin had attempted to open it before, but neither he, nor Cyrus, nor any locksmith could ever hope to open it.

One night, when all was calm and peaceful, Prince Tarquin slipped up the twisting stairs to the locked room. He swallowed hard as he turned the key, waiting to see whether his months of careful plotting would yield fruit.

Unexpectedly, the door opened as the Prince pushed against it.

Inside, resting on a pillar, was the divine relic of legend.

Emitting a warm light, the three triangular pieces floated there unassumingly, and Tarquin had no fear as he approached it. For quite awhile, he did nothing but stare at it, unsure of how it was the Triforce worked its magic. Only the golden light of the Triforce illuminated the windowless chamber. Finally, he stepped forward to claim it, but a booming voice halted his advance.

"Tarquin...I am the Essence of the Triforce..." it said.

The Prince was struck dumb with both awe and fear, and he nearly fell to his knees in terror of the voice, and he did shield his head with his hands.

For a brief moment, there was silence, but finally the Essence spoke to him.

"The Triforce will grant the wishes in the heart and mind of the person who touches it," it replied. "The stronger the wish, the more powerful the Triforce's expression of that wish. If a person with a good heart touches it, it will make his good wishes come true...If an evil-hearted person touches it, it grants his evil wishes..."

Prince Tarquin stood there, absorbing this knowledge. He knew now what he was getting into, what his purpose was.

"I say again, the stronger the wish, the more powerful the Triforce's expression of that wish," the Essence continued. "The Triforce is waiting for a new owner. Its Golden Power is in your hands...Now, touch it with a wish in your heart..."

Tarquin stepped up to the relic and held his hands over it. A surge of boldness stirred in his heart.

"Gods of the Triforce! Hear that which I desire!" said the Prince in a loud voice. "Grant me the power to avenge my father's death! Let NONE stand in my way!"

He grasped the Triforce then with all his might and held it to his heart. This was the moment of truth, and the Prince could feel the Golden Power's warmth spreading throughout his body. It radiated through and through, up his arms and down his legs, even into his mind. Soon, the Essence reached his sour heart, and then and there decided that he was unworthy to wield the Triforce.

Prince Tarquin desperately tried to hold the relic together, but he could feel it separating in his hands. It violently split apart into its three component pieces: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. The pieces floated before him, taunting him, as it seemed.

Suddenly, two of the pieces disappeared from sight, leaving Tarquin with only the Triforce of Power. It embedded itself into him, leaving its mark on his right hand, the symbol of the Triforce with only the top triangle filed in(see _Marks and Symbols: Elder and Arcane_).

And so it was that the Ancient Days passed into legend, for Tarquin was the last sovereign King of Hyrule to ever lay eyes upon the completed Triforce, the Golden Power which had judged him to be a lesser son of greater sires.


	4. Of the Legend of Zelda

**-IV-**

**OF THE LEGEND OF ZELDA**

Now, for almost an hour, the Prince stood in that empty room staring at the back of his own hand, the sense of failure washing over him once again. That sense slowly turned to anger, and then to a powerful rage that would threaten the country and those he cared for the most.

Tarquin stumbled out of the chamber and down the stairs, heady with power.

Of course, the very first person he met was Cyrus.

"What has happened, milord?" asked the magician. "Have you claimed the Golden Power?"

"I fear I have failed once more, my friend," the Prince replied. "It is gone from me."

The Prince then went on to explain his experience with the Essence of the Triforce. He went into great detail, and even showed Cyrus the mark on the back of his hand. Upon seeing this, the magician knew that Tarquin held at least one of the pieces, and was eager to begin the search for the other two.

Cyrus immediately began to play to his young sovereign's ego.

"I am sure that you know," he said in a sly tone, "that your own sister is a very bright young lady. She was very close to your father, so perhaps she might know why the Triforce broke apart."

Indeed, this was true. Zelda was very wise, despite her age. She often spent long hours in many sessions listening to her father talk about all of Hyrule's ancient legends. If there were anybody who would know of the whereabouts of the other two pieces of the Triforce, she would be the one.

That very same night, the young prince resolved to question her about the Triforce. He dismissed the guards that were standing watch at her chambers and entered her bedroom. Princess Zelda was sleeping soundly, as it was very late at night. Still, she could feel Tarquin's hot breath on her neck as he stood over her. It was enough to startle her awake, and she did gape at him with tired, bleary eyes.

"What time is it? Do you need something, brother?" she asked, half asleep.

"I need the Power of Gold, Zelda," he said in a sinister tone. "I know how vast your knowledge is, my sister, and how deep ye were in our father's council. The kind of wisdom I seek can't be found in any book or ancient scroll. Why did the Triforce separate? Where are the other pieces?"

The Princess was flabbergasted. She knew now, just from his tone of voice, that he had at least one piece, the Triforce of Power, and it was enough to jolt her out of her sleepiness.

"Whereabouts are they?" he demanded in a loud voice. "I _must_ have them!"

All of a sudden, the Princess knew that the worst thing possible would be to tell him where the other pieces were.

"Certainly, you can not expect me to just give away that kind of knowledge," she retorted, her voice showing firm resolve. "Something like that has to be earned! I can sense how much your heart has grown cold. Cyrus has twisted and bent your mind, Tarquin! You need help and you need to get away from him!"

The Prince was overcome with emotion and the dark forces swirling around in the depths of his psyche. He held his head in his hands and tried to make sense of all the chaos. On one hand there was the love he had for his sister, and on the other there was a sickening feeling of some kind of dark influence that was overtaking him, and the power that he was currently reveling in. Leaving her room in a daze, the young prince stumbled around the castle for a few hours until eventually finding his way back to his own chambers.

He then collapsed at the foot of his bed, the darkness seemingly draining the energy from his soul.

For three days and three nights he slept fitfully, fighting to keep his powerful desires at bay. When he did manage to venture out, Tarquin was cruel to his servants and subjects, even going so far as to whip and old woman for accidentally bumping into him. He spoke of conquests, of bringing headstrong Termina and wily Calatia to heel, of plundering the fertile fields of Labrynna and stealing the pure waters of Holodrum, so far had he fallen from his initial task of bringing his father's murderer to justice.

Tarquin spent the next month mulling around in a sunken state in his chambers. The time eventually came for his coronation ceremony, but in the end he did not attend it. He refused to see anyone except Cyrus, who continued to twist the truth and plant seeds of doubt in the Prince's mind.

"Majesty, they are plotting against you," said the snake tongued Cyrus. "Even your own sister works against you. She knows who possesses the missing pieces of the Golden Power. Allow me to speak with the lady princess. Perhaps she can be...persuaded into giving us the location of the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage?"

Tarquin looked up at him with a sad, tired look upon his visage. At that point he didn't have the energy left to resist Cyrus's influence, and he simply nodded his head.

This was the chance that Cyrus had been waiting for. Finally, he would be able to use the full range of his powers to extract the secrets of the Triforce from Princess Zelda. His mind-control techniques had worked brilliantly on the young Tarquin, so he believed that the Prince's twin sister would also be easy prey.

The truth, however, would turn out to be quite the opposite.

Later that afternoon, he found the Princess in the castle courtyard lazily picking flowers and attempted to corner her. The air was charged with possibilities and the situation more than tense.

"Greetings, Your Majesty," Cyrus said in a pleasant tone, stealthily moving in between her and the nearest door.

Simply hearing his shrill voice sent Zelda into a foul mood.

"What do you want now?" she caustically replied. "State your business before I have the guards remove you from my presence!"

"Please, Highness, I am here on behalf of your brother," Cyrus answered. "Allow me to speak."

The Princess stopped him then and there. She crossed her arms and glared at him with eyes that knew he was devious and false. Quickly she grabbed a hold of her emotions, and prepared to resist what was sure to be an endless line of questions.

"Tell the truth, Cyrus," Zelda calmly said. "I can see right through you and your foul lies."

"Very well then, I'll get right to the point," he sneered. "Where are the Triforce pieces? Why did it split apart?"

"They are quite safe from you and from Tarquin," Zelda answered. "As for why it broke, look at your own blackened soul and you shall have your answer."

Cyrus grew visibly angry after that. His eyes flashed red and his heavy cloak began to billow, even though there was no wind. Magical energy crackled around him, but the Princess was still not intimidated.

"Tarquin will never have his precious Golden Power, and neither will you, Cyrus," Zelda said sharply, turning her back to him. "This conversation has ended. There will be no more discussion on the matter."

The Prince's advisor thought otherwise. His own ambitions took hold of him, and he grabbed the Princess by the shoulders and spun her round to face him.

"Give me the secrets of the Triforce!" Cyrus shouted at her. "I _must_ have them! Give them to me _now!_"

"_Never!_" Zelda yelled back, slapping him across the face as hard as she possibly could.

Angered beyond all measure of self-control, Cyrus pushed the Princess to the ground. She did fall down hard on her backside, and struggled to sit up as the wizard bore down upon her. If Cyrus could not have the Triforce, then he would make sure that Zelda would pay for not telling him. The sorcerer used his powerful dark magic to bind the young lady in place so he could put his dastardly plan into action.

"You've crossed me for the last time, Zelda!" Cyrus yelled in a rage. "You shall never again see the light of day when I have finished!"

If he could not learn of the Triforce's location from her, then no one ever would.

Raising his hands in the air, the magician fired his magic bolts at her. They struck the Princess, enveloping her in a shroud of evil energy. She began to scream loudly, and her slender form crumpled under the intense pain. She continued to scream and writhe in agony at his feet as the yellow magic bolts crackled and snapped around her.

Cyrus was about to deliver the final, crushing blow when, unexpectedly, Tarquin burst into the courtyard, sword in hand.

He had heard his sister's shrill cries for help, and rushed to investigate. The horror that was unfolding before him was enough to drive the crown prince mad. His love for his sister transcended everything else that had value in his life, though he realized this too late, and Tarquin was not about to stand by idly whilst someone tried to harm her.

The Prince jumped into battle with a furious yell, swinging his blade in a downward arc. This startled Cyrus enough that he stopped attacking Zelda and turned to block the onrushing Tarquin. He was only partially successful, as he stopped the forceful blow, but only after being severely lacerated by the razor sharp blade.

Pressing his attack, Tarquin put his advisor on the defensive, it was said. A normal man would have been dead already, but Cyrus was no ordinary man, and used his magic powers to keep the enraged prince at bay. Dark magic swirled around the sorcerer's arms, allowing him to use them as shields.

Cyrus did little but block His Majesty's attacks. No longer surprised, he could study Tarquin for weaknesses and wait for his chance to strike him down.

The Triforce of Power is said to grant little of anything to those who know not how to harness its energy. Slowly but surely, Tarquin began to grow tired. Eventually, Cyrus felt the Prince's attacks die down in fervor, and it was then that he made his move. He delivered a swift blow to Tarquin's gut, then knocked the young royal aside.

The Prince was struck again hard, and he did then fall to the ground. His sword was knocked from his hand and it fell to the grass, out of reach. The traitor was soon standing over him victoriously with a smug grin upon his twisted face.

"You have lost, Your Grace," he sneered. "I will take the piece of the Golden Power from you _after_ I let you watch me put your sister into a sleep from which she will _never wake!_"

Only a boy of fifteen, Tarquin did not possess the strength to continue to fight his opponent. He was screaming on the inside, so it was said, but could not speak because his mouth was almost full of blood after being struck so hard.

And so, he could only stare as Cyrus moved over to where Zelda had been lying. She had begun to stir, and was now sitting up and holding her head in pain. The black-hearted man towered over her, waiting for her to notice so he could make her end that much more dramatic. Princess Zelda turned to see Cyrus, his arms outstretched with a vortex of evil magic whirling around them. He fired this directly at her, and it struck her with such a force that she was nearly bowled head over heels.

Zelda tried to shield herself with her arms, but it was of no use. She could feel the energy being drained out of her, her very life force, and yet there was no pain. Her eyelids began to close, and a few seconds later, Zelda collapsed onto the soft grass of the courtyard.

As her sleeping form lie there, Cyrus stumbled towards Nivolö's only son. He appeared to be visibly shaken, and was much more pale than he had been before. The magician had used the last of his energy to put Zelda into her eternal sleep and could barely stand up anymore. The Prince had wounded the sorcerer grievously with his opening attacks, and now Cyrus stood covered in his own blood which seeped from his lacerations.

"Damn you, Tarquin," he said, his voice hoarse all of a sudden. "I underestimated you, and your skills as a swordsman."

"So it seems," the Prince answered, spitting out a bit of blood. "You cannot take the Triforce of Power from me. I know now what I should have known from the beginning."

"And what is that, My Lord?" Cyrus replied.

"That you are a liar, a shyster, and a traitor!" yelled the crown prince. "I shall defend the Triforce to my last days! You shall _never_ lay your filthy hands on it!"

Panting heavily, half from exhaustion and half from blind anger, Cyrus knew that Tarquin's words were true. He had known, perhaps, all along that he was betraying his country, his homeland. Born and raised in Hyrule City, the magician had always had a special connection to the land in his younger days. Now he'd killed its greatest king, severely injured its heir, and doomed its princess to a life without consciousness(see _Witches and Sorcerers: A Guide to the Greats_).

Cyrus screamed loudly as he realized what he had done. He had played his part in destiny, in shaping the world and bringing about the catastrophes that Enoc had prophesied for so long.

In a flash of magical energy, the great sorcerer disappeared. Where he went or if he would ever turn up again in the future was left up to fate.

As the light died down, Tarquin realized how truly alone he was.

He moved over to where Zelda had fallen. For a long time he simply held her limp form in his arms, gently commanding her to wake up, quietly whispering the words into her slender, pointed ears. The Princess never moved that day, nor would she ever stir again until the Triforce was complete and she was brought back to life.

Tarquin wept for his sister, and carried her to the highest tower in a castle in the northlands, which stands still to this day on the border between Hyrule and Calatia. He placed her on an altar there, and made for her soft bedding, and ordered that she be cared for. The Prince would have stayed there, by her side, until the end of time, grieving for her.

Unfortunately, he did not have that luxury. His duty was not only to Zelda, but to Hyrule as well. The world he had known as a child was shattered, and Tarquin grew much older than he was in just a few short months. Now would come the arduous task of reuniting the pieces of the Triforce. At that point they could have been anywhere, and the ordeal would prove to be difficult(see _Histories: Relics_)

The future was clouded in mystery, and the young heir to the throne of Hyrule would have to lead his country without his sister's heartwarming presence. He would never forget her, even though he would die and she would never age, her body frozen in time.

Before his life came to an end many decades later, Tarquin decreed that every first-born daughter of the Royal Family be named Zelda, in memory of his beloved sister, in whom it is said shines a beauty that is greater than that of Rowena, and so she is named The Sleeping Goddess.

For the Prince, his accomplishments would be recorded and he would pass into history as a sovereign of little note. The King of Hyrule's daughter, however, would pass into something far greater, the hearts and minds of every living person from that day forward.

Her legend, the legend of Zelda, had only just begun.


End file.
